Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Work on new tiger reserve may start by year end

Work on new tiger reserve may start by year end

TNN 24 September 2009, 03:00am IST

LUCKNOW: Things might start moving for Pilibhit tiger reserve by the end of this year. This is the best that could be hoped for the new tiger reserve of the state. The final plan on it was submitted by the pilibhit forest officials to the headquarters of forest department in May this year.

According to the sources a slight change was required in the map of the reserve which was submitted earlier, soon after the approval had come. But the final plan was re-worked and submitted again to the forest department on May 18.

The new reserve will have 44,560 hectare of the core area and 27,569 hectare buffer area. Apart from the core and buffer areas village area around the new tiger reserve will be around 80,842 hectare. Pilibhit division has 19.5% of the forest area and number of tigers is fairly good.

Pilibhit tiger reserve had bagged the in-principle approval from the central government in September 2008. Once the new tiger reserve comes up the tigers of Pilibhit will get as much protection as Dudhwa tigers. "This will also bring central aid to us and will make it easier for us to take action against illegal activities", said sources.